Nominations open for the Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership

Submit your nominations for the 16th annual award honoring the distinguished career of Robert G. McGruder, a former executive editor of the Detroit Free Press, former managing editor of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, graduate of Kent State University and relentless diversity champion. He died of cancer in April 2002.

The Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership is sponsored by the Associated Press Media Editors and the American Society of News Editors and will be given at this year’s ASNE-APME-APPM News Leadership Conference held in Washington, D.C. from Oct. 8-11.

Nominees should have made a significant contribution during one or more years toward furthering McGruder’s legacy of diversity in news content and in recruiting, developing and retaining a diverse workforce.

This year’s honoree will receive $1,000 and a leadership trophy.

Who is eligible? Individuals, newsrooms or teams of journalists from U.S. news organizations or related journalism organizations are eligible. The award recognizes achievement for the past 12 months or contributions over a number of years.

What are the criteria? The Diversity Leadership Award honors an individual, a news organization or related journalism organization or a team of journalists for significant leadership in diversity through:

• Recruitment: by providing opportunities for diverse journalists to learn about news careers and to enter the news industry in internships and full-time jobs.

• Development: by offering opportunities for diverse journalists to grow in their current roles and to receive mentoring and training that lead to positions of greater authority, responsibility or expertise.

• Retention: by ensuring that journalists want to remain in the news industry because of an inclusive work environment that offers opportunities to contribute and advance.

• Content: by reflecting a diverse community accurately and in a way that demonstrates community and industry leadership. The definition of diversity in content includes ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religious background, political bent and physical ability.

• Leadership: by inspiring a commitment to diversity and providing tools, knowledge and information that further the efforts in recruitment, development, retention and content.

Nominations may be made by individuals, news organizations, professional organizations, schools of journalism and others.

Rules for entries: Send a nomination via email outlining specific information about the achievements of the nominee and how the nominee has benefited the community, the industry and/or diverse journalists. The recommendation should include the name of the person making the nomination and contact information. You may supplement an entry with electronic clips.